The Milwaukee Bucks defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder 97:81 and win the 2024 NBA Cup

LAS VEGAS – The Milwaukee Bucks won the 2024 NBA Cup on Tuesday, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 97-81 in the championship game at a neutral site in Las Vegas.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with a triple double, scoring 26 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists to earn Cup MVP honors. Damian Lillard added 23 points and shot 5 of 10 from three.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points for the Thunder – the only player on the team to have more than 20 points – in a losing effort.

The first half was incredibly even, with Milwaukee only leading by one point at halftime. But the Bucks dominated the second half, particularly the third quarter, outscoring Oklahoma City 26-14. The 14 points the Thunder scored in the third quarter were their fewest in a quarter this season.

The Bucks then led by as many as 20 points in the fourth quarter, preventing a possible comeback.

Milwaukee’s success relied largely on its outside shooting advantage. The Bucks outscored Oklahoma City by 36 points from three-point range.

Meanwhile, the Thunder’s offense stalled. Oklahoma City entered Tuesday’s game with the eighth-best offense in the NBA. But the team’s questionable three-point shooting took its toll, as the Thunder shot just 15.6% from distance and 33.7% from the field overall.

The Bucks’ win was revenge for their loss in last season’s NBA Cup, which was the first-ever repeat of the tournament. In 2023, Milwaukee reached the semifinals in Las Vegas but lost to the Indiana Pacers. This year, the Bucks finished Cup play a perfect 7-0.

Although the final doesn’t count toward the league standings for either team, Milwaukee’s championship run caps an impressive turnaround at the start of the season. After starting the season 2-8, the Bucks have now won 13 of their last 16 games, including Tuesday’s game. However, their record is still 14-11.

At 20:5, Oklahoma City remains in first place in the Western Conference after Tuesday. However, it will be interesting to watch the Thunder’s three-point shooting going forward. In an NBA increasingly reliant on the long ball, Oklahoma City ranks just 19th in three-point percentage, which could put it at a disadvantage compared to other contenders.

As the winning team, Milwaukee players will each receive $514,971, while Thunder players will receive $205,988.

The Bucks will continue their regular season on Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who sit atop the Eastern Conference.

Oklahoma City, meanwhile, plays again on Thursday and faces the Orlando Magic for the first night in a row.